


Soft Kitty

by MadBanana



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: But just simple back massage okay?, F/M, It's not what you think it is hunk, Keith is a baby aww, Kidge - Freeform, Massage, Sickfic, Singing Pidge, Soft kitty lullaby, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 04:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16256795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadBanana/pseuds/MadBanana
Summary: Pidge discovered something about Keith when she discovered he is actually sick. And it started with a massage therapy request.A sweet Kidge sickfic, set after Season 7.





	Soft Kitty

**Author's Note:**

> Hielow, it me, le Mad Banana.
> 
> First of all, a big, big THANK YOU for the kudos and your time to read my last fic, it means so much to me. I was also shocked at my sideblog to reach 145 followers as of the latest count and I said WHAAAAAAAAAAAT!?
> 
> So as a way to say thanks, I decided to write another sickfic (slaps self), this time with Kidge, with artwork and all that can be found on my sideblog. And reminders, as always:
> 
> 1.) I'm not a native English speaker.
> 
> 2.) The story took place after Season 7, and surely they are all at legal age.
> 
> 3.) The lullaby was taken from the Big Bang Theory, I'm sure you're familiar with it.
> 
> 4.) Comments and kudos are highly appreciated.
> 
> 5.) Finally, as always, ENJOY!

"Why didn't you tell me you're sick!?"

Pidge is not the type who panics when it comes to issues that can be solved with math and science. But when it comes to personal interactions and taking care of 'malfunctioning' humans, she scores absolute zero. Especially if she is dealing with an unexpected guy whom she thought is rough, tough, strong and (a wee bit) mean.

As she was waiting for him to answer, Pidge couldn't help but to watch Keith snuggling his pillow, lying face down, facing her, wailing and unable to speak because of tears, while his pet cosmic wolf was whining with him, probably begging him not to cry. How the hell did this happened?

*****

_Thirty minutes ago?_

Keith heard from Shiro how 'miraculous' Pidge's hands are that he wanted to give it a shot. He admitted that he was feeling weird since this morning, not the usual feeling whenever he has to wake up every 4 AM for drills and stuff, but heavier than he thought. Maybe a massage will loosen him up?

"Why me?" She was curious.

"Uh," how will he explain to her? "Sh-Shiro said y-you're good at it, so..."

A little tint of pink kissed her freckled cheeks when she learned that Shiro is endorsing her to the team (for those who want to have free massage) out of pride to say he was her first and the most satisfied customer so far, not counting her dad and Matt for exceptional reasons. She has no problems flaunting her hidden talent for a little price. So far no one volunteered, maybe out of respect for her or because they need more validation...

So Pidge was quite surprised that Keith was presenting himself as a tribute to her wonderful talent.

"L-look," Keith started his defense, "Shiro recommended it for me, 'kay!? I'm not forcin' you or anything... At all--"

"I haven't said I refused," Pidge replied. "Besides, I'm bored, I don't mind working my hands out. So, lead the way, Mr. Customer."

Simple as that.

So Keith led her to his room while Pidge brought some body therapy essentials with her (Mom bought them for her to use). As they were on their way, she started to notice his constant sniffles and lack of posture which, if her memory served her right, they started this morning.

"Something stucked on your nose?" She suddenly asked.

"Minor allergies," Keith replied. "Other than that, I'm good."

"Yeah? You know that the nose and the ears are connected and too much sniffling will mess up your eardrums--"

"Don't worry, I was there when Sergeant Banner discussed that--"

"Sergeant Banner teaches History, not General Science. I can call Lance to testify that--"

"Forget it. I'm not sick!"

Awkward silence followed when they finally reached Keith's room, where Kosmo was, surprisingly, waiting for them inside. Pidge was still blinking from his reaction, although she knew (and it is not a total secret) that Keith has this kind of defense mechanism to let everyone knew that he didn't say or do something stupid. She sighed. Besides...

"I didn't say you are," she pointed out. "Unless you _really_  are sick--"

"I'm not!?" Keith barked back, making Pidge lean backwards. Realizing his mistake, he finally calmed himself down. "S-sorry," he also retreated. "J-just forget it, I shouldn't have--"

"Well, we're here," Pidge smirked. "Can't back out even to the most bullheaded customer."

He felt extreme shame to shout to a girl, and if this will trace back to the first few days since they met, Keith eventually regretted it. He didn't say anything anymore as he led Pidge to his room...

While, slowly, the problem with his nose is starting to reach his head and nerves.

*****

Pidge pulled out an array of bottles of oils and scents Keith can choose from, while Keith started to take off his uniform blazer and boots while the dog watches. But as he takes off his boots and blazer, he could feel his head and muscle nerves tingling -- while Pidge has not started yet!

The sensation was overwhelming that he almost lost his balance if not for his gene-given keen senses, alerting Kosmo, however, it didn't escape the little auburn-haired girl's eyes.

"You okay there?" She called him.

"Just stepped on the wrong side of the floor," was his excuse, hopefully good enough to convince her although he knew and aware that Katie Holt isn't someone he can fool. 

After kicking his boots off and tossing the blazer away somewhere, he proceeded with removing his shirt as he gets to bed. He tossed it to the same place where his blazer lies as he crawled down to bed, and his dog followed to his side. While Pidge showed her collection of oils to him.

"So this is lavender to calm your nerves," she pointed at the first bottle, "lemon for energy, vanilla for--"

"Is there mint?" Keith asked.

"They  _all_  have mint, and there's a proper name for that -- menthol. That's to prep your muscles and to remove any pain. The rest are additional for other issues that you might have."

"Okay," he bit his lip, "first one."

"Perfect choice," she snickered as she picked the first bottle which contains lavender. "Now, remove your pants and lie on your stomach."

Keith felt like being zapped by lasers on his back when Pidge ask him to take off his pants, too, that his skin started to give off fifty shades of red. "D-did you ask Shiro  _that_ , too!?"

"Well, yeah, duh," she blinked, "I can't work on someone with their pants still on unless you don't wanna show your--"

"I get it, I get it," he gave in as he started to unbutton and pulled down his pants, leaving his boxers on while trying to hide his face away from Pidge. She was just snickering to find out how Keith can easily get flustered by lying down (almost) naked in front of a girl.

As he finally got rid of his pants, Keith lied on his stomach, head resting on both arms facing Pidge to the right. Then she pulled up his blanket to cover his lower body. At least she still understands that he needs decency. Later, she ran her hand on his smooth back, raising her eyebrow as she felt something wrong yet typical. 

"Dude, you're so stiff," she said. "Loosen up a bit or this won't work. And...

I'm not sure if it's just me or you're just excessively shy that your skin's burning a bit. Are Galra like this when they're shy?"

Not showing: Keith's reddening face when Pidge touched his shoulders and back. But strangely, he could feel his own skin steaming almost literally for some reason.

"How would I know?" He asked, surprisingly soft. 

"Just relax, man," she pat her shoulder, "I got you."

"Okay," he croaked.

"And if you wanna sleep, that's fine, too. I just want to make sure you're comfortable."

He hummed.

Keith found a comfortable spot in his own arm, sighing heavily, while Pidge started to take a few drops of chosen oil in her palm and rubbed both palms briskly before starting with his stiffening shoulder. But by the time she touches his shoulder, the heat from his body seems unchanged -- in fact, it rose to a few degrees.

He even don't understand himself as well, as he could feel not just the uncomfortable heat from his body, but he was also shivering, with his head and muscles starting to throb in pain. In the first few minutes, Keith still finds it tolerable, until Pidge reached to his hips. 

As she lifted the blanket to his ass, Pidge then worked with his tired legs. Her hands could tell: Keith's body underwent a dramatic change since the first time she met him. He isn't that tired, scrawny kid anymore who was trying to chill in the castle ship's pool. Just like Lance said, he got bigger and more grizzled, but not too much. He gained enough muscle from being with his mother within his two-year absence.

Everything was supposed to be smooth, until the half-Galra could feel the soreness of his limbs climbing to the rest of his body, that even a massage couldn't do a thing. In fact, or at least that was what Keith feels, the massage is making it worse. His body felt like lead, breathing shallow, he was internally shaking, and his skin slowly shows bright patches of pink on his shoulders and cheeks.

And the worst thing he could think of is the fact that Kosmo is noticing how strange his body starting to react, which later reached Pidge, who is also known to be good with dogs. As she was done on the right leg, she stood up.

"Let's stop here," she said.

Keith blinked, trying to act normally even if his eyes are telling otherwise. "I ordered the whole package," he said.

"Can't compromise your health if you'll let me keep on doing this while you're sick. And dogs don't lie."

He pouted. "I told you I'm not sick--

AAAAAAAH~!"

Pidge squeezed Keith's shoulderblade on purpose, making him squeak in pain. His breath became shallower, followed by broken sobs.

"I can't go on like this if you have a cold," she sighed with guilt. "Let me wash you up instead. Sounds good?"

"I'm fine," Keith tried to get up, but the rising fever is starting to make his arms shake. "I've read something that massage can reduce fevers--"

"Says who? Wikipedia?" She almost scoffed. "You'll need paracetamol and not massages. Besides, it will be dangerous," and stepped away a bit. "I'll be back, while  _you_  should lie down," and looked at Kosmo who was just tilting his head in curiosity as to what his human and his presumed girlfriend are talking about. "Can you keep an eye on your master, please?"

Kosmo stucked his tongue, probably his reply, since cosmic wolves don't bark.

When Pidge left probably to fetch something, Keith felt totally empty. Upset that they have to stop the session, he curled up on one side of the bed, hugging a pillow, while the dog helped in pulling his blanket to cover him. He later sensed that his master, indeed, doesn't feel well, that he rested his snout on the side of the bed, looking at Keith with such concern.

"I'll be fine," he assured the dog, but its stares could tell that the cosmic wolf is not fully convinced. Feeling that he couldn't hide anymore, he gave up.

"I'm," he bit his lip, "not fine."

Kosmo's ears perked up when he saw a tear escaping his master's eye.

"Don't tell her," he begged. "Please."

Kosmo blinked.

"It's just," he gave a shaking sigh, "just... I just want her to hold me... Touch me... Am I  _that_  weird?"

Kosmo tilted his head again.

"I feel like I'm breaking apart," he sobbed. "It freakin' hurts...!"

More sobs and tears followed. It alarmed the cosmic wolf, sensing that his master is in pain and in need of help. While Keith tried to control it, his whole body burns and aches per second, shutting his soaking wet eyes and trying to grip at anything -- but even holding something is also painful.

"Kosmo, please," he sobbed, "call Pidge...! I--"

He moved right away, teleporting himself to where Pidge is at that moment, while Keith started to scream and cry in pain.

*****

"Keith is sick?" Hunk blinked while writing down his next recipe in the kitchen as watches Pidge getting a basin of water and a washcloth. 

"Surprise, surprise," Pidge whistled.

"I mean, the fact that  _he got sick_ , yeah that's a surprise, like, he's half-Galra."

"I'm sure Galra can get sick, too. I thought you've studied Galra culture?"

"Getting sick's not part of their culture, as far as what Dayak taught me. Getting killed while learning, yeah that's one--"

"Seriously, he didn't say anything," she pouted as she prepared everything in a tray. "I know he's the leader who won't tell anyone his secrets but this is different, I almost compromised his health when he asked for a massage--"

Suddenly, Kosmo appeared between them, went closer to Pidge without warning, and both of them disappeared.

It happened so fast that all Hunk could do was to blink and part his lips. But his senses came back when he heard someone crying.

"What the quiznak?" He muttered.

*****

Pidge found herself back in Keith's room in a matter of seconds, where his screams and cries welcomed her.

"K-Keith!?" She immediately sat beside his bed after noticing him curling on the side, blushing shoulders exposed, and couldn't talk between tears. When she touched his forehead, she clicked her tongue.

"You're quiznaking burning!" She pulled her hand away, shaking it when she felt the burn. "I told you to wait for me--!"

As she was about to stand up to get the tray in the kitchen, the half-Galra suddenly grabbed her hand while he kept on crying. It made her stay in submission, and sighed. 

"Why didn't you tell me you're sick?" She muttered as she tried to part his bangs, trying to calm him, but he couldn't. He couldn't even reply.

"Hey...?" Pidge wasn't sure how to calm down a crying guy that she wanted to panic and call Krolia, but judging on how Keith grabbed her hand, it gave her an idea on what to do. She sat on the edge of the bed, lifting him gently, letting his head rest on her shoulders and cradled him as gentle as she could. She thought of rubbing his exposed arm and chest to soothe him, gradually reducing his bawling.

"Are you hurt somewhere?" She asked softly. Keith was still sobbing, but he managed to reply in a nod. She can't massage him, he'll definitely scream louder in pain, so she held him closer, still rubbing him until he calms down.

It somehow calmed Pidge as well, that she decided to continue rubbing his skin until he gets tired he will sleep. She sighed as she managed to scold him a bit.

"You scared me there," she whispered.

"Sorry...!"

It was surprising to her ears that someone like Keith will suddenly say sorry in tears that it also almost broke her.

"Just," she ruffled his hair, "don't hide secrets from me again."

He nodded slowly, while still sobbing. At the back of her mind, it was just like calming a child's tantrum, and ironically, she isn't good at dealing with little children with tantrums, let alone a grown-up half-alien guy.

As she noticed that Keith is somewhat calmed down, Pidge decided to leave him to get the tray from the kitchen, but his tight grip in her hand made her think otherwise. She has no choice. After looking at Kosmo who was innocently watching them, she slowly realized why he took her, instead of his own mother...

She looked at Keith's blushing, tear-soaked face. She could guessed that he asked the space wolf to fetch her, specifically. Could this be related to his interrupted massage therapy request?

"Why didn't you say so?" She giggled. "Fine, you won, Team Leader. But I still have to wash you up--"

Hearing that only made Keith tighten his grip on her hand.

"Stay," he begged.

Pidge wasn't sure if she will get annoyed or laugh at how excessively clingy Keith actually is, but either way, she finds it cute to see another side at the young man whom everyone thought the lone wolf. Thinking about it, Keith is, actually, lonely, and just needing a good massage and hugs. She somehow understands now his needs.

So she moved a bit closer to his body, slowly laying him down while her right arm used as his pillow, while Keith, even knowing his body hurts like hell, tried to wrap his right arm around her, faces on the brink of touching each other's lips. The little Green Paladin's heart beat three times faster as she saw herself so damn close to his surprisingly clean, soft-looking face.

"K-Keith...?" Her cheeks were as red as his.

"Please?" His tears were still streaming, but he is already surprisingly calm. He nudged his peachy cheeks into her shoulder, as if he is starting to act like an affectionate cat.

Pidge sighed again, this time she was completly sold by his uncalled affection. "I won't go anywhere, then," she promised.

He nudged his cheek more. "Thank you."

She couldn't believe it: Keith, the no-nonesense, tough and fiery leader of the Paladins, is in her arms, sick, sobbing, and clinging like a toodler with tantrums. Maybe he has been hiding this for a long time, being alone on the aftermath of Kerberos Tragedy, after losing his father on a fire and after his mother was forced to abandon him for a mission. Their duty is still far from over, but at least, while on Earth, he finally learned to relax...

But looks like he relaxed way too much.

"Pidge...?"

"Yeah?" She glanced at his face.

"Can you," he bit his lip, "sing me a song...?"

It is official: Keith is a kid when he is sick. His unexpected request made her thought process do an emergency shutdown.

"...Pop used to sing me one," he explained weakly.

Pidge has no idea how to answer Keith. She is no singer that she couldn't even sing a decent ABC Song. "Uh, a-I know one," she stuttered, "but--"

"Please, Katie."

His eyes and voice was pleading that he called her by her real name, something which is rare for her teammates to do so (with the exemption of Shiro) that melted her heart. She bit her lips, but after that, she sighed, cleared her throat, and opened her mouth.

 

_Soft kitty, warm kitty,_

_Little ball of fur._

_Happy kitty, sleepy kitty,_

_Purr, purr, purr._

 

She stopped, knowing that song is just that short, but..

"Again...?"

Keith pleaded her again, looking at her.

"B-but that's just it," Pidge explained, "it only contains one verse--!"

"I don't care," he croaked. "Katie, please. Sing it again..."

"Alright, alright," with a sigh of defeat, Pidge pulled the blanket to cover Keith more, patting his exposed shoulder while repeating the lullaby again:

 

_Soft kitty, warm kitty,_

_Little ball of fur._

_Happy kitty, sleepy kitty,_

_Purr, purr, purr._

 

She thought of continuing the song until Keith is sleepy enough for her to leave for a while. As she went on, Kosmo yawned, as he, too, began to get lulled to sleep. He walked in circles until he could settle for a comfortable spot to doze off.

Pidge kept on singing until Keith finally dozed off, but she decided to keep on singing to be sure. The quiet atmosphere and her own lullaby slowly made her eyes heavier, to the point that she snuggled with him, singing to him and herself to sleep...

 

_Soft kitty, warm kitty,_

_Little ball of fur._

_Happy kitty, sleepy kitty,_

_Purr, purr, purr..._

*****

A few minutes later, Hunk decided to bring the tray that Pidge was supposed to bring because it has been twenty minutes since she disappeared with Kosmo. When he came in through the automatic, unlocked door, he almost dropped the tray when he saw Pidge, cuddling a shirtless Keith, sleeping in one bed, with the space wolf sleeping at the foot of the bed.

He slowly put the tray on the table, quietly left the room, walked a brisk few steps to nowhere so he could scream "QUIZNAK!" in the middle of nowhere.

**Author's Note:**

> It's not what you think it is, Hunk. Unless...
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading!
> 
> Find me at:
> 
> VOLTRON SIDEBLOG: [here](http://bananatron.tumblr.com)


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